Devices for automatically releasing and resetting the locking members of automatic couplers for rail vehicles



3,133,647 ING y 19, 1964 G. D. WHITEHOUSE ETAL DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLYRELEASING AND RESETT THE LOCKING MEMBERS OF AUTOMATIC COUPLERS FOR RAILVEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1962 Inventors zww ii ttorrr% y19, 1964 G. D. WHITEHOUSE ETAL 3,133,647

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING AND RESETTING THE LOCKING MEMBERS OFAUTOMATIC COUPLERS FOR RAIL VEHICLES Filed Feb. 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2ttomey 3,133,647 D RESETTING COUPLERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M Ma;

UorneyS G. D. WHITEHOUSE ETAL TOMATICALLY RELEASING AN FOR RAIL VEHICLESMay 19, 1964 DEVICES FOR AU THE LOCKING MEMBERS OF AUTOMATIC Filed Feb.9. 1962 May 19, 1964 G. D. WHITEHOUSE ETAL 3, 7

DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING AND RESETTING THE LOCKING MEMBERSOF' AUTOMATIC COUPLERS FOR RAIL VEHICLES Filed Feb. 9, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Home y 5 United States Patent DEVICES FGRAUTUMATEQALLY RELEASENG AND RESIETTING THE LQCKING MEMEERS @F AUTUMATHCCOUPLERS F031 RAH. VEHICLES Glenroy D. Whitehouse and John 0. Cooke,Sheffield,

England, assignors to English Steel Corporation Limited, Sheffield,England Filed Feb. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 172,139 Claims priority,application Great Britain Feb. 14, M61 6 Claims. (Cl. 213-212) Thisinvention relates to devices for automatically operating the lockingmembers of automatic couplers for rail vehicles, and more particularlyto a track-mounted device for co-operation with automatic couplers ofthe type in which releasing and re-setting of the locking member fromand to locking position takes place in consequence of movement of anoperating member by the application of external forces in respectivemutually-opposite directions transverse to the axis of the coupler; and,further, of the type in which the operating member and the coupler bodyare each provided with a projection extending downwardly beyond thelowest part of the coupler body, with the projection on the coupler bodydisposed substantially in the plane of movment of the projection on theoperating member, or, in which the coupler body is provided with a Ifixed projection extending downwardly beyond the lowest part of thecoupler body, and the operating member has a pin-and-slot connectionwith a lever mounted on a horizontal pivot parallel to and to one sideof the axis of the coupler, the lever extending downwardly to terminateat substantially the same level as the fixed projection on the couplerbody. The expression movable projection, to be used hereafter, should beregarded as referring to the projection on the operating member or thelower end of the lever having the pin-and-slot connection with theoperating member, as the case may be.

According to the present invention, a device for automatically operatingthe locking members of automatic couplers for rail vehicles of the typereferred to comprises a carrier adapted to be mounted between the railsof a track, a transverse slide on the carrier, and a pair of upstandingwalls on the slide forming between them a tapering nose adapted to passbetween the movable projection and the projection on the body of acoupler of a vehicle passing over the device, and also forming a head atthe wider trailing end of the nose to either side of which theprojections pass before leaving the device, with the width of the headsubstantially equal to but not greater than the space between theprojections when the movable projection is in its position of greatestseparation from the projection on the coupler body. Thus, as a couplerapproaches the device with the movable projection in its position ofclosest approach to the projection on the body, and the coupler passesover the device, the movable projection is moved away from theprojection on the body until, when the projections pass to either sideof the head, the movable projection is in its position of greatestseparation from the projection on the body, the slide allowing for therelative immobility of the projection on the body of a coupler that isengaged with, but not necessarily interlocked with, a mating couplerduring the passage of that projection past the device.

If the position of closest approach corresponds to the position of theoperating member in which the locking member of a coupler is in lockingposition, then a device according to the invention may serve to releasethe locking member, by bringing the movable projection to its position(at the head) of greatest separation from the projection on the body,and the movable projection may be brought again, later, to its positionof closest approach to the projection on the body by means of anotherauto- 3,133,647 Patented May 19, 1964 matic track-mounted device, sothat the locking member returns to locking position. Conversely, if theposition of greatest separation corresponds to the position of theoperating member in which the locking member is in locking position, adevice according to the present invention may serve to bring the movableprojection to that po sition, for example, after it has been brought toits position of closest approach (to release and retain the lockingmember) by means of another automatic trackmounted device. However,movement of the operating member, otherwise than can be effected by adevice -ac cording to the present invention, e. g., manually, is notprecluded in setting the locking member in looking position, or inreleasing and retaining the locking member, as the case may be.

Since the slide will remain in whatever lateral disposition it has beenleft by the projections of a coupler that has passed over the deviceuntil the nose is engaged by one of the projections on a followingcoupler, and the extent to which any coupler is able to swinghorizontally to either side of the centre-line of the vehicle carryingthat coupler, to enable coupled vehicles to negotiate a curve in thetrack and vehicles approaching on a curve to be coupled, is liable toexceed half the included angle of the nose on the device, theprojections of the following coupler approaching the device may be sodisposed that the nose cannot pass between them. Thus, according to afurther feature of the invention, the slide is provided with a furtherpair of upstanding walls extending forwardly of the nose and formingbetween them a mouth adapted to gather in both the movable projectionand the projection on the body of a coupler approaching the nose, andalso forming at the narrower trailing end of the mouth a throat disposedsymmertically about the tip of the nose and of a width at least equal tothe overall span of the projections when the movable projection is inits position of closest approach to the projection on the coupler body,so that when the projections leave the throat they are disposedsymmetrical with respect to the tip of the nose, and, therefore, cannotpass otherwise than to either side of the nose.

The head may continue at the same width for some distance towards thetrailing end of the device, but the length of the head should be limitedto such an extent that the projections on the trailing coupler of avehicle pass clear of the trailing end of the head before either of theprojections of a mating coupler engaged 'with the trailing coupler comesinto contact with the appropriate wall of the mouth, so that the slideis free to allow the immobility of the projection on the body of thatcoupler, as that projection lies, in relation to the device, on theopposite hand to the corresponding projection on the trailing coupler.

The overall height of the device should be such that the upper edges ofthe Walls lie clear of the level of the lowest part of the coupler on avehicle which is carrying its maximum load, and the depth of the wallsshould be such that the projections of a coupler on an unloaded vehiclewill make sufiicient contact with the walls of the device for the latterto perform its required function. However, since it is preferable tolimit the length of the projections as much as possible, to reduce therisk of damage and consequent malfunctioning of the locking member, themost suitable overall height for the device may bring it to a level atwhich at least part of it obstructs the path of the chassis or otherpart on the underside of a vehicle passing over it. Thus, according toyet a further feature of the invention, the device is mounted on a support permitting it to yield resiliently and downwardly when encounteredby any obstructed part of a vehicle, and the upper surfaces of thedevice are inclined downwardly towards the leading end of the carrier tobelow cf) the level of the obstructed part, so that the device will bedepressed progressively and smoothly as the obstructed part moves alongthe inclined surfaces. The upper surfaces may also be inclined similarlytowards the trailing end of the carrier, so that the device will returnprogressively and smoothly to its operative position as the obstructedpart moves towards the trailing end of the carrier.

The support may consist of a horizontal pivot at one end of the carrier,mounted transversely in brackets adapted to be secured in the track, anda spring mounted substantially horizontally below the level of the pivotand connected to a lever arm on the carrier, so as to apply a moment tothe carrier in opposition to the moment exerted by the weight of thedevice, together with a stop enabling the spring to pre-load the deviceto operative position. The lower arm is preferably short so that littledefiection of the spring will take place as the device is swung aboutthe pivot by any obstructed part of the vehicle and, in consequence, theresistance of the device to swinging will remain substantially constantas the obstructed part moves progressively over the leading inclinedsurfaces of the device. By using a compression spring, acting on thelever arm from the opposite side of the pivot to the device, a greaterdepth is available below the device for accommodation of the latter whenswung.

The device and its support, together with a short length of trackaligned with and connected to the base of the support, may be formed asa um't for insertion in an existing railway system or inclusion in a newlayout.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings, and also in relation to one type of couplerthat it is designed to operate. In the drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a plan of two automatic couplers of the Willison typeintended primarily for operation by trackmounted devices and shown matedtoget.-er, but with one coupler set for release of the mating coupler;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view of the left-hand coupler of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken from the right-hand side of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a track-mounted device and supportaccording to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the device and support ofFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a plan of the right-hand side of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURES 7 to are diagrammatic plans showing the progressive action ofthe device on the mating couplers of FIGURE 1 as they pass over thedevice.

In FIGURE 1, each of a pair of Willison type couplers A, B has a fixednose 1 for engagement in a recess 2 in the other, and a locking member 3movable to a position in which it can lie alongside the locking memberof a similar mating coupler, the two locking members togethersubstantially filling the space between the fixed noses in order toprevent Withdrawal of either nose from the corresponding recess. Thecoupler B is shown with its locking member in this position, while thecoupler A is shown with its locking member withdrawn into the couplerbody 4 (and therefore out of sight), so that by relative lateralmovement between the couplers the noses 1 may be withdrawn from theirrespective recesses 2. Each coupler is pivotally connected by a bolt 5to the head 6 of the draw-bar 7 of a vehicle 8 (only one shown in FIG-URE 5).

Movement of the locking member 3 in each coupler between lockingposition (as in coupler B) and release position (as in coupler A) isconsequent on transverse movement of an operating member 9 (FIGURES 2and 3), which has a pin 10 extending rearwardly for pivotal connectionto a lever 11 through a slot 12 in the lever. The lever extends belowthe pin-and-slot connection to a horizontal pivot 13 parallel to and toone side of the axis of the coupler, and beyond the pivot 13 toterminate in an enlarged end 14, hereafter referred to as the movableprojection, and a fixed projection 15 to the other side of the axis ofthe coupler extends downwardly from the coupler body 4 to substantiallythe same level as the movable projection 14. The lever 11 also extendsupwardly from the pin-and-slot connection 10, 12 to terminate in an eye16 accessible from either side of the coupler for engagement by ashunting pole (not shown) for rocking of the lever 11 to be eifectedmanually, with consequential transverse movement of the operating member9 and movement of the locking member 3. However, the couplers have beendesigned for operation by track-mounted devices, such as the deviceshown in FIGURES 4 to 6 and about to be described.

In FIGURES 4 to 6, a base plate 17 is bolted in the bottom of a well 18between the rails 19 of a track along which vehicles pass in thedirection of the arrow in FIG- URE 5, and a pair of journal brackets 20bolted on the base plate 17 carry pivots 21 for journals 22, each ofwhich extends downwardly and outwardly from a side flange 23 on acarrier 24 for a slide 25. Between the side flanges 23 the carrier issubstantially plate-like and is formed with a wide, shallow groove 26extending parallel to the pivots 21, the groove having guide surfaces 27for the slide 25, which has a short central rib 28 depending into alonger, axially-extending slot 29 in the base of the groove 26, the ribbeing held captive in the slot by a plate 30 bolted to the free edge ofthe rib and extending beyond the sides of the slot.

Below the level of the pivots 21, a braced lever arm 31 extends to apivotal connection 32 with the outer end 33 of a plunger 34 projectingfrom a cylinder 35 housing a pre-loaded compression spring 36, which atone end abuts against a plug 37 of the cylinder and at the other endabuts an enlarged head 38 on the inner end of the plunger, to urge theenlarged head towards an annular shoulder 39 around a bore 40 in an endcap 41 through which the plunger extends. The end plug 37 has anexternal lug 42 pivoted betwen a pair of upstanding lugs 43 on a bracket44 bolted to the baseplate 17 in such a position that the carrier 24 andslide 25 are in horizontal, operative, position when the enlarged head38 on the plunger 34 abuts the annular shoulder 39.

The slide 25 is formed with a central integral upstanding projection 45having substantially vertical walls 46 converging towards one end toform a nose 47 tapering forwardly to a narrow rounded tip 48, followedby a short head 49, beyond which the walls rapidly converge and merge at59. A pair of integral upstanding side cheeks 51, also havingsubstantially vertical but mutuallyfacing walls 52, extend the fulllength of the slide 25 one of either side of the central projection 45,and their walls 52 diverge forwardly from the nose 47 to form a mouth 53tapering inwardly from the leading edge 54 of the slide to a throat 55disposed symmetrically about the tip 48 of the nose 47, then from thethroat the walls 52 diverge to form with the nose a pair of channels 56extending to the sides of the head 49, from which point the wallscontinue parallel to each other to the trailing edge 57 of the slide.The upper surfaces 58 of the cheeks 51 are inclined downwardly at 59from forward of the tip 48 of the nose 47 to the leading edge of theslide, and similarly at 60 from rearward of the head 49 to the trailingedge of the slide, the portions 61, 62 of the carrier 24 forwardly andrearwardly respectively from the groove 26 being formed as continuationsof the inclined surfaces 59, 60 respectively.

In FIGURES 7 to 10, the couplers A, B are travelling over the slide 25of the track-mounted device from left to right; that is to say, thecoupler A is the leading coupler on one vehicle (vehicle 8 in FIGURE 5)and the coupler B is the trailing coupler on a preceding vehicle (notshown).

In FIGURE 7 the movable projection 14 of each coupler is in its positionof closest approach to the fixed projection 15 (which position may havebeen attained in passing of the couplers over an appropriatetrack-mounted device, for example, prior to shunting or other operationswith the couplers released from each other, or from other similar matingcouplers) so that both locking members 3 are in release position (andout of sight) and the couplers are not interlocked even though they areengaged with their noses 1 in the corresponding recesses 2. The couplersare shown in the position in which both projections 14, 15 of thecoupler B (having passed through the mouth 53and the throat 55) havemade initial contact with the adjacent walls of the nose 47 of theslide, which is in substantially the same position relative to thecarrier 24 in which it has been left by the projections of the leadingcoupler (not shown) of the vehicle carrying the coupler B.

During movement of the couplers A, B from the position in FlGURE 7towards the position in FIGURE 8, the movable projection 14 of thecoupler B is moved away from its fixed projection 15 until, at the head49 (FIGURE 8), the projection 14 of the coupler B is in its position ofgreatest separation from its projection 15, and the locking member 3 ofcoupler B has been moved fully to locking position. Since the couplersA, B are following a substantially fixed path, the centre-line 63 whichcan be regarded as being substantially coincident with the centre-lineof the carrier 24, and the fixed projections 15 remain at a constantdistance from the centre-line 63, the slide 25 is forced to moverelative to the carrier as the fixed projection 15 on the coupler Bmoves towards and comes alongside the head 49, as can be seen from thechange in the position of the centre-line 64 of the slide relative tothe centre-line 63 between FIGURE 7 and FIGURE 8.

Between FIGURE 8 and FIGURE 9, the projections 14,15 of coupler B arecarried beyond the head 49 until, as shown in FIGURE 9, both projectionsl4, 15 of the coupler Av (having passed through the mouth 53 and thethroat 55) have made initial contact with the adjacent walls of the nose47 of the slide 25, which is in substantially the same position relativeto the carrier 2 in which it has been left by the projections of thecoupler B leaving the head 49.

During movement of the couplers A, B from the position in FIGURE 9towards the position in FIGURE 10, the movable projection 14 of thecoupler A is moved away from its fixed projection 15 until, at the head49 (FIG- URE 10), the projection 14 of the coupler A is in its positionof greatest separation from its 15, and the locking member 3 of couplerA has been moved fully to looking position, so that the couplers A, Bare interlocked by their locking members 3 together filling the spacebetween the noses l which are engaged or, if separation of the couplershas occurred, become re-engaged with the corresponding recesses 2. Forthe reasons given above, the fixed projection 15 of the coupler A forcesthe slide 25 to move in the opposite direction relative to the carrier24 as the projection moves towards and comes alongside the head 49, theposition of the slide in FIGURE 10 being substantially that in whichboth projections of the trailing coupler (not shown) of the vehicle 8(FIGURE 5) will make initial contact with the adjacent walls of the nose47 after passing through the mouth 53 and the throat 55. The continuedseparation of the walls 52 of the side cheeks 51 beyond the head 49ensures that the movable projection 14 of the coupler B cannot obstructthe movement of the slide under the influence of the fixed projection 15of the coupler A.

The mouth 53 accommodates any angularity of a coupler that is notengaged with a similar mating coupler, although the device is intendedfor use mainly with a succession of vehicles whose couplers are engagedbut not interlocked.

Because the length of the projections 14, 15 has been limited as much aspossible, to reduce the risk of damage and consequent malfunction of thelocking member, the overall height of the device and support brings theslide 25 to a level at which it obstructs the path of a part 65 (FIGURE5) of the underside of each of the vehicles passing over it. However,when the leading end 66 of the obstructed part 65 encounters the forwardinclined surfaces 59 of the slide 25 or, if the vehicle is heavilyloaded, the inclined portion 61 of the carrier 24, the slide and carrierwill be depressed progressively and smoothly as the leading end of theobstructed part moves along the inclined surfaces 59 until theobstructed part moves over the surfaces 58 and the trailing end 67 ofthe obstructed part rides along the surfaces 58 and the rearwardinclined surfaces 60 of the slide, so that the slide and carrier returnprogressively and smoothly to their operative position, the trailing end67 of the obstructed part finally leaving the surfaces 69 or, if thevehicle is heavily loaded, the inclined portion 62 of the carrier, whenthe slide and carrier have attained their operative position.

What We claim is:

1. A device for automatically operating the locking members of automaticcouplers for rail vehicles, each coupler being of the type having afixed downwardly-extending projection towards one side of the couplerand a downwardly-extending movable projection towards the other side ofthe coupler, movement of the locking member between locking and releasepositions being consequent upon relative separating movement of theprojections, and the device comprising a carrier for mounting betweenthe rails of a track, a transverse slide on the carrier, and a pair ofupstanding walls on the slide converging towards one end to form betweenthem a tapering nose for passing between the movable projection and thefixed projection on a coupler of a vehicle passing over the device, thewalls also forming a head at the wider trailing end of the nose toeither side of which the projections pass before leaving the device,with the width of the head substantially equal to but not greater thanthe space between the projections when the movable projection is in itsposition of greatest separation from the fixed projection, the headcontinuing from the nose at the same width for some distance towards thetrailing end of the device, but being limitedin length to such an extentthat the projections on the trailing coupler of a vehicle pass clear ofthe trailing end of the head before either 'of the projections of amating coupler comes into contact with the appropriate wall of the nose.

2. A device for automatically operating the locking members of automaticcouplers for rail vehicles, each coupler being of the type having afixed downwardlyextending projection towards one side of the coupler anda downwardly-extending movable projection towards the other side of thecoupler, movement of the locking member between locking and releasepositions being consequent upon relative separating movement of theprojections, and the device comprising a carrier for mounting betweenthe rails of a track, a transverse slide on the carrier, and a pair ofupstanding walls on the slide converging towards one end to form betweenthem a tapering nose for passing between the movable projection and thefixed projection on a coupler of a vehicle passingover the device, thewalls also forming a head at the wider trailing end of the nose toeither side of which the pro jections pass before leaving the device,with the width of the head substantially equal to but not greater thanthe space between the projections when the movable projection is in itsposition of greatest separation from the fixed projection, together witha further pair of upstanding walls on the slide extending forwardly ofthe nose and diverging forwardly from the nose to form between them amouth for gathering in both the movable projection and the fixedprojection on a coupler approaching the nose, the further walls alsoforming at the narrower trailing end of the mouth a throat disposedsymmetrically about the tip of the nose and of a width at least equal tothe overall span of the projections when the movable projection is inits position of closest approach to the fixed projection, the headcontinuing from the nose at the same width for some distance towards thetrailing end of the device, but being limited in length to such anextent that the projections on the trailing coupler of a vehicle passclear of the trailing end of the head before either of the projectionsof a mating coupler comes into contact with the appropriate wall of themouth.

3. A device for automatically operating the locking members of automaticcouplers for rail vehicles, each coupler being of the type having afixed downwardlyextending projection towards one side of the coupler anda downwardly-extending movable projection towards the other side of thecoupler, movement of the locking member between locking and releasepositions being consequent upon relative separating movement of theprojections, and the device comprising a carrier for mounting betweenthe rails of a track, a transverse slide on the carrier, and a pair ofupstanding walls on the slide converging towards one end to form betweenthem a tapering nose for passing between the movable projection and thefixed projection on a coupler of a vehicle passing over the device, thewalls also forming a head at the wider trailing end of the nose toeither side of which the projections pass before leaving the device,with the width of the head substantially equal to but not greater thanthe space between the projections when the movable projection is in itsposition of greatest separation from the fixed projection, together witha further pair of upstanding walls on the slide extending forwardly ofthe nose and diverging forwardly from the nose to form between them amouth for gathering in both the movable projection and the fixedprojection on a coupler approaching the nose, the further walls alsoforming at the narrower trailing end of the mouth a throat disposedsymmetrically about the tip of the nose and of a width at least equal tothe overall span of the projections when the movable projection is inits position of closest approach to the fixed projection, the headcontinuing from the nose at the same width for some distance towards thetrailing end of the device, but being limited in length to such anextent that the projections on the trailing coupler of a vehicle passclear of the trailing end of the head before either of the projectionsof a mating coupler comes into contact with the appropriat wall of themouth, together with a support for the device, the support consisting ofa horizontal pivot at one end of the carrier, a pair of brackets formounting the pivot transversely of the track, a lever arm depending fromthe forward end of the carrier below the pivot, a spring mountedsubstantially horizontally and connected to the free end of the leverarm so as to apply a moment to the carrier in opposition to the momentexerted by the weight of the device, and a stop enabling the spring topre-load the device into operative position, the upper surfaces of thedevice being inclined downwardly towards the leading end of the carrierto below the level of the obstructed part, so that the device will bedepressed progressively and smoothly as the obstructed part moves alongthe inclined surfaces.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein the upper surfaces of the device areinclined downwardly towards the trailing end of the carrier to below thelevel of the obstructed part, so that the device will returnprogressively and 8 t smoothly to its operative position as theobstructed part moves towards the trailing end of the carrier.

5. A device for automatically operating the locking members of automaticcouplers for rail vehicles, each coupler being of the type having afixed downwardlyextending projection towards one side of the coupler anda downwardly-extending movable projection towards the other side of thecoupler, movement of the locking member between locking and releasepositions being consequent upon relative separating movement of theprojections, and the device comprising a carrier for mounting betweenthe rails of a track, a transverse slide on the carrier, and a pair ofupstanding walls on the slide converging towards one end to form betweenthem a tapering nose for passing between the movable projection and thefixed projection on a coupler of a vehicle passing over the device, thewall also forming a head at the wider trailing end of the nose to eitherside of which the projections pass before leaving the device, with thewidth of the head substantially equal to but not greater than the spacebetween the projections when the movable projection is in its positionof greatest separation from the fixed projection, together with afurther pair of upstanding walls on the slide extending forwardly of thenose and diverging forwardly from the nose to form between them a mouthfor gathering in both the movable projection and the fixed projection ona coupler approaching the nose, the further Walls also forming at thenarrower trailing end of the mouth a throat disposed symmetrically aboutthe tip of the nose and of a width at least equal to the overall span ofthe projections when the movable projection is in its position ofclosest approach to the fixed projection, the head continuing from thenose at the same width for some distance towards the trailing end of thedevice, but being limited in length to such an extent that theprojections on the trailing coupler of a vehicle pass clear of thetrailing end of the head before either of the projections of a matingcoupler comes into contact with the appropriate wall of the mouth,together with a support for the device, the support consisting of ahorizontal pivot at one end of the carrier, a pair of brackets formounting the pivot transversely of the track, a lever arm depending fromthe forward end of the carrier below the pivot, a compression springmounted substantially horizontally and connected to the free end of thelever arm from the opposite side of the pivot to the device so as toapply a moment to the carrier in opposition to the moment exerted by theweight of the device, and a stop enabling the spring to pre-load thedevice into operative position, the upper surfaces of the device beinginclined downwardly towards the leading end of the carrier to below thelevel of the obstructed part, so that the device will be depressedprogressively and smoothly as the obstructed part moves along theinclined surfaces.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein the upper surfaces of the device areinclined downwardly towards the trailing end of the carrier to below thelevel of the obstructed part, so that the device will returnprogressively and smoothly to its operative position as the obstructedpart moves towards the trailing end of the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS3,056,512 Zion Oct. 2, 1962

5. A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING THE LOCKING MEMBERS OF AUTOMATICCOUPLERS FOR RAIL VEHICLES, EACH COUPLER BEING OF THE TYPE HAVING AFIXED DOWNWARDLYEXTENDING PROJECTION TOWARDS ONE SIDE OF THE COUPLER ANDA DOWNWARDLY-EXTENDING MOVABLE PROJECTION TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE OF THECOUPLER, MOVEMENT OF THE LOCKING MEMBER BETWEEN LOCKING AND RELEASEPOSITIONS BEING CONSEQUENT UPON RELATIVE SEPARATING MOVEMENT OF THEPROJECTIONS, AND THE DEVICE COMPRISING A CARRIER FOR MOUNTING BETWEENTHE RAILS OF A TRACK, A TRANSVERSE SLIDE ON THE CARRIER, AND A PAIR OFUPSTANDING WALLS ON THE SLIDE CONVERGING TOWARDS ONE END TO FORM BETWEENTHEM A TAPERING NOSE FOR PASSING BETWEEN THE MOVABLE PROJECTION AND THEFIXED PROJECTION ON A COUPLER OF A VEHICLE PASSING OVER THE DEVICE, THEWALLS ALSO FORMING A HEAD AT THE WIDER TRAILING END OF THE NOSE TOEITHER SIDE OF WHICH THE PROJECTIONS PASS BEFORE LEAVING THE DEVICE,WITH THE WIDTH OF THE HEAD SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO BUT NOT GREATER THANTHE SPACE BETWEEN THE PROJECTIONS WHEN THE MOVABLE PROJECTION IS IN ITSPOSITION OF GREATEST SEPARATION FROM THE FIXED PROJECTION, TOGETHER WITHA FURTHER PAIR OF UPSTANDING WALLS ON THE SLIDE EXTENDING FORWARDLY OFTHE NOSE AND DIVERGING FORWARDLY FROM THE NOSE TO FORM BETWEEN THEM AMOUTH FOR GATHERING IN BOTH THE MOVABLE PROJECTION AND THE FIXEDPROJECTION ON A COUPLER APPROACHING THE NOSE, THE FURTHER WALLS ALSOFORMING AT THE NARROWER TRAILING END OF THE MOUTH A THROAT DISPOSEDSYMMETRICALLY ABOUT